HBO dramas hit season highs for combined telecasts

“True Blood,” the pay cabler’s most-watched show, drew 5 million for its initial 9 o’clock telecast and an additional 1.2 million two hours later. The combined 6.2 million was a season high.

The 5 million, however, was down slightly from the series’ season premiere.

Show, which stars Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer, has been averaging 11.3 million per episode when repeat telecasts, DVR usage, on demand and HBO Go are included. Those combined numbers for the finale won’t be available for several weeks.

Alan Ball and Gregg Fienberg are exec producers.

The Aaron Sorkin-created series “The Newsroom,” which has been in the crosshairs of many critics, drew 2.3 million for its 10 p.m. showing and 500,000 at midnight.

Skein, which focuses on a fictional cable news network and stars Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer and Sam Waterston, is bringing in 6.7 million viewers per episode when all viewing opportunities are accounted for.